Border agents uncover cash in sealed soft drink cans

Federal agents at the Stanton port of entry in downtown El Paso caught a man trying to cross into Mexico with $151,306 in unreported currency cleverly concealed in sealed soft drink cans.

“Every single dollar we stop from being smuggled out of the country makes it harder for criminal organizations to further their illegal activity,” said CBP Port Director Hector Mancha in a statement.

The seizure was made Wednesday at around 3:40 a.m. while Customs and Border Protection officers and Border Patrol agents were conducting southbound checks at the bridge.

CBP officers and Border Patrol agents searched the man’s vehicle and a canine officer trained in currency and firearms detection alerted officers of $6,000 in unreported currency inside a duffel bag.

CBP officers and Border Patrol agents then found four unopened soft drink cans that appeared suspicious. When they opened what looked like Coke and Arizona Tea cans, they found bundles of currency rolled-up.

People crossing the border with cash must report it to agents if the amount is over $10,000.

A total of 1,549 individual bills in U.S. and Mexican currency totaling $151,306 were seized by CBP.

CBP officers arrested 59-year-old Juan Francisco Dominguez Morales of San Diego, California.

Photos Courtesy of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection